New Delhi: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Gangubai Kathiawadi won three awards in the technical category at the IIFA Awards and Weekend 2023 kickstarted in Abu Dhabi. Actor Rajkummar Rao and filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan hosted the IIFA Rocks ceremony during which winners for technical categories, including cinematography, screenplay, dialogue and editing, were announced. Filmmakers Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Utkarshini Vashishtha won the award for best screenplay for Gangubai Kathiawadi. It also won trophies for best cinematography and dialogue.
Bosco Martis and Caesar Gonsalves won the best choreography award for their work on the title track of Kartik Aaryan’s Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. The Anees Bazmee directorial also won in the best sound design category.
Ajay Devgn’s crime thriller Drishyam 2 was a winner for best editing, whereas Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt’s action adventure Brahmastra: Part One – Shiva was adjudged the winner for best special effects (visual).
Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan’s Vikram Vedha and Vasan Bala’s Monica O My Darling bagged the honours for best background score and best sound mixing, respectively.
Amit Trivedi, Badshah, Jacqueline Fernandez, Rakul Preet Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan, Sukhbir Singh, Palak Muchhal and Iulia Vantur performed at the event held at Yas Island. Superstar Salman Khan and actor-model Nora Fatehi turned showstoppers for designer Manish Malhotra, who showcased a special collection on the theme of ‘old world charm meets the new world’.
A host of personalities from the Hindi film industry, including Abhishek Bachchan, Vicky Kaushal, Boman Irani, Sunny Kaushal and Radhika Madan attended the ceremony.
The awards are being held in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading curator of immersive destinations and experiences. Abhishek Bachchan and Vicky Kaushal will host the main IIFA Awards ceremony, to be held tonight.
